Control device



y 7, 1940- E. J. DILLMAN 2.200.163

CONTROL DEVICE Original Filed Sept. 12, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MA TTORNEY y 7, 1940- E. J. DILLMAN 7 2,200,163

CONTROL DEVICE Original Filed Sept. 12, 1936 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a9 big 'IN VENTOR i/27:5 B1

M A TTORNEV y 7, 1940 I E. J. DILLMAN I 2.200.163

CONTROL DEVICE a Original Filed Sept.. l2, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR M ATTORNEY Patented May 7, 1940 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICECONTROL DEVICE Earnest J. Dillman, l}

etroit, Miclr, assignor to Original application September 12,

1936, Serial Divided and this application March 10, 1937, Serial No.129,981

3 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.-100,476, filed September 12, 1936, for Control devices.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a control device of newand improvedconstruction for controlling electric circuits.

Another object of my invention is to provide a control device responsiveto changes in liquid level and one having a new and improved armrangement of the operating parts thereof.

Another object of my invention is to provide for a heating system havinga boiler for water, a new and improved liquid level control deviceincluding a fioat which will not be subject to surging action of theboiler water.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combination ofparts, tobe more fully described hereinafter and the novelty of whichwill be particularly pointed out and dis- {30 tinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of thisspecification, I have fully and clear- 1y illustrated my invention, inwhich drawings- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of a heating 35 systemembodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view shown partly in cross section and partly inelevation of a control device employed in the system of Fig. l andembodying features of my invention;

(30 Fig. 3 is a View shown in cross section taken along the line 3--3 ofFig; 2;

Fig. 4 is a View of my control device shown partly in elevation andpartly in section, taken along the line and in the direction of thearrows m 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a detail View showing the means for securing together the endand side walls of the control device casing.

Referring to the drawings and first to Fig. 1,

u) there is shown a heating system which includes a boiler l and a heatsupplying meanstherefor which may be a fuel stoker or oil burnerpreferably operated by an electric motor 2. The system also includes awater supplying means of which w) only the water supply pipe, indicatedat 3, is shown and through which pipe water is supplied to the boiler iwhen necessary. In the water supply pipe 3 there is provided a controldevice 4 for controlling flow of water to the boiler, and

also in the pipe 3 there may be provided a strainer, indicated at 5,preferably located as shown between the source of water supply and thecontrol device 4. The control device 4 may be of any suitable type andis preferably an elec- 55 trically operated device such as a solenoidvalve.

In the present instance, the valve of the control device t is openedpermitting flow of water to the boiler i when the solenoid is energized,and closed upon deenergization of the solenoid to stop flow oradmittance of water to the boiler. A bypass pipe 6 is provided in thefeed pipe 3 for bypassing water around the solenoid valve 4 to theboiler l, and flow through the by-pass pipe 6 may be controlled by ahand operated valve the purpose of the by-pass being hereafterdescribed.

The heating system also includes a control device, designated in generalby the numeral l, which in the present instance is a float actuatedcontrol. The float, indicated at 8, is operable in response to changesin the level of the water in boiler l to control the operation of boththe burner motor 2 and the water supply control device or valve 4.Associated with the float mechanism there is provided a switch means,designated in general by the letter B and a sec- 0nd switch meansdesignated in general by the letter C, both of which are actuated by thefloat 8 to control actuation of the solenoid valve 4 and burner motor 2,respectively. The burner motor 2 may be operated from the usual 110 v.line to which 110 v. line are connected lead wires l l, l2 in whichthere may be provided a manually operable switch IS. A control device,preferably a relay indicated at M is provided in the circuit of themotor 2, and the relay M may be connected to the motor 2 by lead wiresI4 and IS. The switch means C is in series circuit with the burner motor2 by means of the lead wires l5 and [6, the switch means C is operableto control the operation of the motor 2. The switch means B isoperatively connected in parallel circuit with the burner motor 2 bymeans of a lead wire I! connected to lead wire l2, and a lead wire itconnected to lead wire I6 of the switch means C. Connected between thelead wires ll, I8 there is preferably provided a transformer E9 toprovide low voltage current for operation of the solenoid valve 4. Theswitch means B is connected to one side of the secondary of thetransformer I9 by the lead wire [9 and is connected to the other side ofthe transformer secondary by the lead wire 19 the solenoid valve 4 beingconnected in the lead wire l9 between the transformer l9 and the switchmeans B. Thus, since the solenoid valve 4 is in parallel circuit withthe burner motor 2, the solenoid valve 4 as well as the motor 2 will bedeenerglzed when the circuit is opened to the motor by means of switchmeans C. The numeral 20 designates a room thermostat con- Ell) nected tothe relay M to cut in and cut out the motor 2 to maintain apredetermined room temperature, and the thermostat 2i? may be connectedto the relay M by the lead wires 9 and Ill.

In the system shown in Fig. l the float mechanism and the associatedswitch means Bi and C are mounted on a wall of the boiler i with the"erring now to Figs. 2, 3 and l in which the tail construction of thefloat mechanism and the associated switch means B and C are shown, thestructure includes a supporting means in the a plate M which is fixed tothe outer wall as of the boiler i by means of bolts or other su-tablemeans. The plate 2| closes an opening in the wall of the boiler whichopening is provided to receive a casing or housing 2 3 which projectsthrough. the opening into the interior of the boiler encloses the float8. The casing is constructed, in the present instance, of sheet metaland comprises a shell or sleeve-like member 255 closed at the top by aplate or end member 25 and at the bottom by a second plate or end memberihe end members 2, Bl have tab portions 26", respectively which extendthrough apertures Eb respectively in the sleeve-like member so that theportions of the end members furthest from the plate iii are located withrespect to the sieeve-lile member The sleeve or shell 25 is ofsubstantially U-sliape in cross as shown in Fig. 3. The portions ofcasing 23 ad acent the plate 25 are formed with outturned flangeportions 28 for seating against the inner wall surface of plate M whichis preferably recessed, as at 29. The end member 2% has an offsetportion 26 which acts to increase the volume of the chamber 529 definedby the casing 23. Scr ws 359 or other suitable means may be used forrigidly securing the casing 23 to the plate In a wall of the casing 23and preferably in a substantially vertical Wall thereof there isprovided an aperture 32, adjacent the bottom of tie casing, and a secondaperture 33 adjacent the top of the casing for the passage of water inand out of the float casing in accordance with variations in the liquidlevel of the water in boiler l. By providing relatively small aperturesin the casing 23 and locating them in a vertical or substantiallyvertical wall of the casing, water will flow in and out of the casing 23without the transmission of the motion of the surging boiler water tothe water within. the casing, and therefore without transmission of suchmotion to the float 8.

The plate 2! is formed with an outwardly extending protuberance 3! whichis in alignment with the casing 23 and which has a centrally disposedopening 32 therethrough opening through the plate 25 into the floatchamber or interior of the casing 23. Mounted on the outer wall of theplate 2i there is a supporting means in the form or a housing whichincludes an end wall member or bracket 34 which may be in the form of acasting, as shown. The supporting means B l has an end wall 35 extendingsubstantially parallel to the end wall of the protuberance 3!, andextending rearwardly from the wall 35 at the top and bottom thereof areoppositely disposed and substantially parallel flanges 31 and 38, thebracket or supporting means 3 thus having the form of a Ushaped channelmember, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The U-shaped bracket 3 ispreferably recessed along its side edges for receiving the oppositelydisposed sides of a three-sided closure membe o mvsr 40.

The cover ll} cooperates with the U-shaped bracket to provide a housingor enclosed space ll, and the cover it may be secured to the U- shapedbracket 3% by screws, or by other suitable means.

Through the wall 35 of the supporting means there is provided an opening33 in alignment with the opening til in the plate El, and extendinghrough the aligned openings 13 and 32 and into the housing 'r-i, thereis one end of a lever 45, the other end or which is rigidly fixed to thefloat 3. A movable sealing m ans is provided for closing and sealing theopening between the housing ll and the boiler l, and the sealing meansmay be a substantially cylindrical, circumferentially corrugated,resilient, metallic bellows M. The bellows il has one end secured andhermetically sealed to a ringiike end wall member 58, which member istightly clamped between the outer end wall of the protuberance El and anextended portion of the wall 35 of the supporting means El i. outer endwall of the extended portion 4.) is recessed providing an outwardlyfacing an nular shoulder or seating surface against which ring-like endwall ii; of the bellows seats. it) outer end wall of the protuberance 3|is red with a reduced and extended portion 1 extends into the recess inthe wall 35 and the adjacent side of the ring-like end wall ll; of thebellows ll. The supporting moans and the plate member 2i may be rigidlysecured together by means of screws 59, and the end wall of the bellowsmay be tightly clamped between the opposed walls of the support 3-; andplate 29. The bellows 4i surrounds the float and extends into thehousing ll, the inner end of the bellows being secured and'hermeticallysealed to a plate 52 which is centrally apertured to receive a reducedportion of the lever $6, which reduced portion projects through andextends beyond the outer wall of plate 52. A cup-shaped shield in theform of a cap provided and has a central aperture in its end wall forreceiving the reduced end of the lever 3E, and this cupshaped shieldsurrounds the bellows 41 and extends toward the wall oi the supportingmeans 34.

A yoke or U-shaped bracket is provided and is fixed to the outer end ofthe lever 39 within housing -36, The yoke 55 has a side or base 55 whichextends transverse to the lever "26 and oppositely disposed arms orflanges 57 which extend on opposite sides of the lever and inwardly ortoward the float 8. The side of the lever is provided with an aperturebetween the oppositely disposed sides or flanges for receiving thereduced portion of the lever 5.6, which portion is threaded for threadedengagement with a nut 58 by means of which the yoke, shield and end wallof the bellows ll may be tightly clamped against the shoulder formed onthe rod by the reduced portion, and thereby be rigidly secured to theend of the lever.

On opposite sides of the bellows are vertically disposed ribs El) whichextend from the wall 35 of the supporting means 34, rearwardly or intothe chamber M. The ribs ii: are formed with outwardly and oppositelyextending bosses 6| having aligned apertures for receiving pins 62 forpivotally supporting the yoke 55, In the oppositely disposed sides 5'!of the yoke 55, and adjacent the ends thereof, are provided alignedapertures for receiving the pins 52, which pins may be threaded forscrew threading into the bosses 63. Preferably the pivot pins 62 arelocated in the same horizontal plane as the longitudinal axis of thelever 46 and bellows 41, and preferably at a point substantially midwaybetween the ends of the bellows. By locating the fulcrum of the lever 46at a point substantially midway between the ends of the bellows 41, thebellows will bend at their natural bending point upon pivotal movementof the lever 46.

Mounted on the upper flange 31 of the supportingmeans 34 is the electricswitch means C, and fixed to the underside of the flange 38 is theswitch means B. The switch means B and C are similar in construction andare enclosed in casings 65 and 55 respectively. The casings 65 and 86each have an open side which is disposed toward the flanges 38 and 31respectively, and the flanges form one side of the casings. The casingsmay be secured to the flanges by screws 61, or by other suitable means,The switch means B and C being the same in structure and operation, adescription of one is deemed sufficient. Referring to Fig. 4 in'whichthe switch means is shown in detail, there is provided within the casing68, at one end thereof, a supporting means preferably in the form oflaterally spaced lugs or brackets 18, only one of which is shown, andwhich are adjacent to but spaced from the lower edges of the casing.Extending longitudinally within the casing 68 there is an elongatedsupporting member prefera'bly of electric insulating material. whichextends from one end, as at 12, between the lugs and is pivotallysecured to the lugs 10 by a hinge member 13 of resilient sheet metalwhich is secured to the lugs 10 by screws 13*.

Mounted on the upper side of the hinge member 13 there is a U-shaped,so-called permanent magnet 74. Pivotally secured to the supportingmember ll at its other or free end, there is a contact arm 15. Thepivotal connection for the arm is provided by a hinge member 16, such asa plate of resilient sheet metal, riveted or otherwise secured to oneend of arm 15 and secured by screws 18 to the. end of the supportingmember ll. ber 19 which is fixed to the free end of a leaf spring 85that is secured to and extends longitudinally of the arm 15. The contactmember 19 extends toward the supporting member 7| and cooperates with acontact member 8| secured to the member II. The contacts 19 and 8| arelocated between the poles of the magnet 14, which tends to hold thecontacts together. The lead wire l5 may be connected to the fixedcontact 8| and the lead wire Hi to the movable contact arm 15. The wires15 and i6 lead out of an outlet box 83 formed integral with the casing66.

The supporting member 1| is provided with a guideway 84 extendingtransversely therethrough and having its longitudinal axis transverse tothe arm 15. In the guideway 84 there is a longitudinally reciprocalactuated or thrust member 85 which projects at its ends from theopposite faces of the supporting member H. The thrust member 85 ispreferably in the form of a rod or pin having its opposite ends pointedor conical in form, and one end of the thrust pin 85 engages or abutsthe underside of the contact carrying arm 15 preferably adjacent thefulcrum of the arm 15. The other end of the thrust member 85 is inalignment with and bears against the end of a rod 86, which rod has oneend screw threaded into or otherwise suitably fixed to a second rod 8!carried by the yoke 55. The rod 8! has one end The arm 15 carries acontact mom-- bifurcated to receive one of the arms 51 of the yoke 55,and the rod 81 and yoke arm 51 may be pivotally connected together bymeans of a pin 88 or by other suitable means. The rod 81 is pivoted tothe adjacent flange or arm 51 of the yoke 55 at a point between thepivot pin 62 and the transverse connecting side 56. To the other oroppositely disposed flange or arm 5'! of the yoke 55 there is secured abifurcated rod 8'| by a pin 88. The rod 81 has screw-threadedly securedthereto a rod 90 which extends therefrom and downwardly through theflange 38 into the casing 65 of the switch means B. The switch means Bhas a thrust member 9| like the thrust member 85 of switch means C, andwhich is similarly arranged with the switch mechanism within casing 85to transmit movement of the float to open or permit closing of theswitch. For a more detailed description of the switch mechanismreference may be had to my copending application on electric switches,Serial No. 714,743, filed March 9, 1934, now Patent No. 2,098,181,granted March 2, 1937.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings the normal level of the water in the boiler isindicated by the line A, and below the normal level A there areindicated other levels B, B", C and C at which levels the controldevices operate as hereafter described: When the level of the water inboiler reaches the level 13, assuming that water is being suplied to theboiler, the float will have moved upward and pivoted about its pivotpoints 62. The yoke 55, being on the other side of the pivot points,will have moved downward and acted through the movable thrust member 90to open the switch of the switch means B against the force of the magnetopposing the opening of the switch. Upon opening of the switch means Bthe solenoid 4 is deenergized and permits the valve to close and stopflow of water to the boiler. When the float 8 moves upward and opens theswitch of the switch means B, the yoke 55 moves further away from theswitch means C and the magnet 14 thereof continues to operate to holdthe contacts 18 and 8| together and thus maintain the circuit closed tothe burner motor 2, which circuit is as follows: From switch contact 8|through contact 19, switch blade 15, lead wire I5 lead wire manualswitch I3, the source of power, lead wire I2, relay M lead wire l5,motor 2, lead wire l4, relay M lead wire l6 back to the switch contact8|. If for some reason the level of the water in boiler decreases to thelevel C", for example because of failure of the water supply or becauseof sticking of the solenoid valve 4 in closed position, then the float 8will have descended and pivoting about its points 82 and will have movedthe yoke 55 upward against the opposing force of the magnet 14 of switchmeans C. This operation will open the switch and thus cut out the motor2 to discontinue the supplying of heat to the boiler. Since the solenoid4 is in parallel circuit with the motor 2 it will be seen that thesolenoid will also be deenergized by opening of the primary circuit ofthe transformer I9 upon decrease in water level to level 0 so that thevalve, if not already in closed position, will move to closed position.Upon resumption of water flow from the source of supply, or correctionof the cause of decrease of water in the boiler, water is admitted tothe boiler by opening the hand valve 6 in the by-pass line 6. When thewater rises to the level C the float 8, having moved upward, permits themagnet 14 of the switch means C to close the circuit to the burnermotormeans for securing said flange portion to said 2 and thetransformer l9, and thus resume the supplying of heat to the boiler i.The switch means B being closed by reason of the water level being belowthe line B, then upon energization of the transformer ill by closure ofswitch means C, the solenoid valve t will be energized to open thevalve, the circuit of the solenoid valve being as follows: From thesecondary coil of the transformer 19 through lead wire 1%, switch meansB, lead wire 19 and the solenoid valve 4 inserted in the lead Wire Nback to the other side of the transformer secondary coil. Uponresumption of normal operation of the solenoid valve d, flow of Waterthrough the by-pass line 6 should be discontinued by closing the handvalve to reestablish automatic operation. It will be understood that forall levels above level C the motor is operating to supply heat to theboiler.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. In a device of the character described, a plate member adapted to besecured to a wall and for covering an aperture through the wall, a sheetmetal sleeve member having an open side wall portion and being ofsubstantially lJ-shaped cross-section, said sleeve member being securedto said plate member so that said open side wall portion is adapted ,obe closed by said plate member and said sleeve member being adapted toextend through the wall aperture, pair of end members secured to saidplate member and cooperable with the end portions of sleeve member todefine a chamber, a pair of relatively small vertically alignedapertures in a wall of said sleeve member for admisssion of fluid tosaid chamber, and actuating means i" said chamber.

2.111 a device of the character described, a plate member adapted to besecured to a wall and for covering an aperture through the wall, saidmember having a recessed portion adapted to overlie the wall aperture, asheet metal sleeve member having an open side wall portion and being ofsubstantially U-shaped cross-section, said sleeve member having anoutturned flange portion adjacent said open side wall portion,

recessed portion so that said plate member is adapted to close said sidewall portion, a pair of end members secured to said plate member andcocperable with the end portions of said sleeve member to define achamber, one of said end members having an offset portion acting toincrease the volume of said chamber, a pair of relatively smallvertically aligned apertures in a wall of said sleeve member foradmission of fluid to said chamber, and actuating means in said chamher,said offset portion also acting to receive said actuating means.

In a device of the character described, a plate member adapted to besecured to a wall and for covering an aperture through the Wall, saidmember having a recessed portion overlying the wall aperture, a sheetmetal sleeve member having an open side wall portion and being ofsubstantially U-shaped cross-section, said sleeve member of end members,each end member having a tab portion at one end thereof and a flangeportion at the other end thereof, said end members being secured to saidplate member and substantially fitting one within each of the endportions of said sleeve member, said cylindrical member having pair ofapertures, one of said pair of apertures being in one end portion ofsaid sleeve member and the other of said pair of apertures being in theother end portion of said sleeve member, one of said. tab portions beingreceived by said one aperture and the other of said tab portions beingreceived said other aperture to thereby locate said portions and saidend members with respect to said sleeve member,said end members and saidcylindrical member cooperating to define a chamber, a pair of relativelysmall vertically aligned apertures in a wall of said sleeve member foradmission of fluid to said chamber, and actuating means in said chamber.

EARNEST J. DILLMAN.

